Design of the human-robot interaction for a semi-autonomous service robot to assist elderly people

Service robots could support elderly people's activities of daily living and enable them to live in their own residences independently as long as possible. Current robot technology does not allow reliable fully autonomous operation of service robots with manipulation capabilities in the heterogeneous environments of private homes. We developed and evaluated a usage concept for semi-autonomous robot control as well as user interfaces for three user groups. Elderly people are provided with simple access to autonomous robot services through a handheld device. In case of problems with autonomous execution the robot contacts informal caregivers (e.g. relatives) who can support the robot using semi-autonomous teleoperation. To solve more complex problems, professional teleoperators are contacted who have extended remote access.